Improvement in air-springs



G. M. ALSOP.

AIR SPRING.

No. 36,498. Patented Sept. 23, 1862.

f UNiTEDv STATES PATENT.' Carica.

GEORGE M. ALSOP, OF PHILADELPHIA; PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEM ENT- IN Ain-SPRINGS.-

speiccation forming part of Letters Patentino. s cAosmated september 23, .1862.

1 '0 aZZ-wtom it may concern: l

Be it knownv that I, GEORGE M. ALsoP, of the city of Philadelphiaand State of Pennsylvania,haveinvented a new and useful Improve-j ment in ,Airfsprings for Railroad-Cars 'and l otherVehicles; and I do hereby declarethat- Figure 1 is a perspective viewbf acm-spring,- tbe exterior partsonly being visible. Fig. -2

is va perpendicular section ofthe spring at the line a b of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a reverse view of thepo'rtion of the spring above the diaphragm. B. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the air-ves- 4sel E. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveeview of the plate or bridge J.- Fig. 6 is a similar view of the buier H. Fig. 7 is a 'perspective view of the valve L and clamps M M. Fig. 8 is a perpendicular section. oi' the lower part of the spring, showing a modified form of the diaphragm B and the parts connected therewith;

Like, letters in all the figures represent the same parts of the spring.

The nature of my invention mainly consists in combining and arranging an inner cup or air-vessel, which has a diaphragm bottom, with an outer box, which also has a diaphragmbottom, which receives the pressure of a Weight- .sustaining piston, theforee of which is eX- erted upon the air contained in the air-vessel, which reacts upon the piston with an elastic force, the said box'and air-vessel being constrneteda and arranged in relation to each'.

other in such a manner asto have a'space between .them on all sides to contain a fluid,l which also receives the force of the piston, and consequently reacts upon the air and 'prevents its escape from the air-vessel; I

To enable others skilled in the art to lmake and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is an outer box or ease, which I usually make of cast-iron. It basa diaphragm-bottom,

B, secured to theiiange a by means of the The inner side of the ring ring C and bolts. b.

is ot' suicient depth to allow the'piston D, which bears against the diaphragm B, tosli'de in it to the extent required by the yieldingot` tbe latter., VI usually make the face of theA piston D of convex form, either plain, as reprematerial.

I sented in FigiZ, or with annular 'cori-ugations;

butthe form may bevaried to suittbe views of the constructors. Th'ediaphragm B, I have represented in the drawings as composed ol' two pieces, the lower o ne being leather-and the upper one 'vulcanized rubber; but, if desir'ed, it .may be made cfa singlepiece Vof leather, vulcanized rubber, or othersuitable 0n the face of the flange a of the box A there lis an annular projection, c, and

' in vthe face of the ring C there-is a correspond- ,ing depression, d, which would -fit on the said projection if the ring should be placediaganst the ange; but as-the diaphragm B is inter-- posed it yields to tbe.' said projection and depression when the ange and the ring are drawn toward each otherby means of the bolts .b, anda perfectly tight joint is consequently obtained. t

lE is anv air-vessel, which I make of tin or other suitableV material. It has a diaphragmbottom, F, which yields to the force exerted upon the diaphragm-bottom B, in the manner which I will hereinafter describe.v The said diaphragm is secured to tbeinterior of the air-A vessel` by the ringG, which presses it hard against thelatter. The outer diameter of the air-vessel E is less than the inner diameter of the box A, so that when the annularlip e of the former is placed against tbe annular projection lg of the latter, as represented in Fig. 2, there is .a space, f, all around between the airvessel and the box to contain a fluid to react against 4the air and prevent its escape from the air-vessel. The space h between the diapbragms B and F has communication with the spacef by means ofthe openings i of the an nular projection g of the box A, there being corresponding openings through t-be lip e of the air vessel E. The said openings are represented in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

His a buffer, which I make of vulcanized rubber or other suitable material, the 'object of which is to arrest the motion of thediaphragms B and F when any extraordinary pressure or concussion occurs, and by overstraining them would cause a rupture. The use of tbe buffer is particularly desirable'for coal or freight cars, which are often subjected to very rough usage.

I is an air-vessel, which is situated in theV interior of thebuffer H. It is sufficiently large to press tightly against the inside of thel top plate of the air-vessel E, as represented in Fig. 2. It has openings j, which communi cate with the air-vessel E, there being corresponding openings in the buffer II, as represented in Fig. 6. Instead of constructing the said buffer in the manner described a metallic spring may be substituted in its place. The plate or bridge J, above the buffer H and air vessel I, rests on the air-vessel E. It has an annular projection, lr, which forms a space or chamber, Ic, for the reception of Huid, the said space being connected with the space j' by means of the openings m through the projection k. The openings are represented in Fig..5. The plate J has a center pin, n,which itsin a central opening in the lower side of top of the box A.

K is a supply-tube in the side of the box A and airvessel E for the purpose of filling the latter with air, there being a valve, L, which opens inward when the tilling commences and' is' closed by the air contained in the air-vessel, as the latter reacts upon it when the filling is completed.

I usually make the valveLofa strip of gum and clamp the ends with strips of tin M M, which are bent in the middle to receive the valve. The ends of the strips M M are soldered or otherwise secured to the side of the air-vessel E( The arrangement of the valve L and clamps M M in relation to each other is represented in Fig. 7. Their connect-ion with the air-vessel E is partially -represented in Figs. 2 and 4.

'N is a screw-plug,which is used to close the outer end of the 'supply-tube K,'as it forces the Washer or cover O against it. The washer I make of leather or other yielding material. I f ill the spaces f, h, and lc with water or other suitable tluid, as follows: I reverse the position of the box A and take off the ring C 'and4 diaphragm B, the diaphragm F being in its place, but depressed in the vreverse position .to that shown in Fig. 2, so as to hold the fluid,

which I pour in untilthe spacesf, h, and k are filled. I then put the diaphragm B and ring C in their places 'and secure them by means of the bolts b. I force air into the airvessel E through the supply-tube K untilit becomes so condensed as to react against the pressure of the piston D on thediaphragms B and F with the proper-degree of force.- lI then yscrew the plug or stopper N in its place until the washer O is' forced against the outer end ofthe supply-tube K andcloses the same, the valve L being previously closed against the inuerend of the tube by the reactive force of the air in the air-vessel E. I prefer molasses to vwater for iilling" the spaces f, h, and kf, as it has less tendency to enter the pores of the metal than the latter and'is less affected by the weather. Y

The operation of-thc spring isas follows: The car resting upon the requisite number of boxes A, and the piston D ofeach box resting upon the journal-box beneath it, the piston is forced into the ring C, and the diaphragm B is brought into the position it assumes in Fig. 2, and the pressure of the said diaphragm upon the Huid contained in the spaces j', h, and la causes the diaphragm F to assume a corresponding position, as is shown in the said figure, and the air in the air-vessel E yields to the forceof the piston D, but. reacts with suftcient force as to prevent theoverstraining of 'the diaphragms, except in extraordinary cases of pressure or concussion. In such cases the buffer H arrests the movement of thedia! phragms, and by its elasticity and the aid given it by the elastic force of the ,air iu the airvessel E counteraets theA jar of the piston.`

It will readily be seen that the air-vessel E being surrounded on all sides by the spacesf,

h, and It, and the Afluid in the said spaces re ceiviug the same amount of pressure through l the'medium of the diaphragm B as is exerted upon the air contained in the air-vessel, the fluid has a reactive force equal to that of the air,- and consequently reacts upon the latter and'prevents its escape from the air-vessel, and that as the said `vessel is held in equilib rium .between the duid and the air it may be made of a thin or weak material and be strong enough for the purpose it subserves, and also that as the pressure against the inside and the outside of the air-'vessel I is equal a thin or weak material is sufficient for it.

Various modifications may be given to the diaphragm B and the parts connected withl it to suit the views of the constructors in adapty ing the spring to the different kinds of cars to which it maybe attached.r .One of these modifications is vrepresented inl-Fig. 8, vwhich is a crosssection of the lower part of the spring.- In this view the diaphragm B assumes a cylindrical form at right angles to its flange, and is open at its lower end, which is connected vwith the piston D. The lower end of the diaphragm 'is' forced slightly inward by the an- -nular wedge D', Vwhich forms part, of the pey E and diaphragm F with the box A', diaphragm B, andv piston D, the whole being constructedL and arranged and operating substantially'in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

2. The-combination and arrangementof. the

buffer H with the air-vessel E andplate J orits equivalent, substantially as described, for Y the purpose specified.

3. The air-vessel I, in combination-with the I buffer H and air-vessel E, substantially as de- I have hereunto set my hand and afxed my scribed, for the purpose set forth. seal this 13th day o'f January, 1862.

4. The annularprojection c and correspond- A ing depression d, in combination with the flange a and ring G, substantially as and forv Witnesses:

' the purpose set forth. GEO. M. WILLIAMS,

In testimony that the above is my invention M. H. BUSH.

GEORGE M. ALsoP. U.. 5.] 

